the hitter and the librarian
by snobunniex3
Summary: The L.I.T.s need help retrieving a magical artifact so Jake takes his team to ask a certain retrieval specialist for help. rated for mild swearing. Marked as complete but if people like it or I get some inspiration I'll add more.
1. Chapter 1

AN: So here's another Eliot has a twin from another show that CK has played in. I've only seen a few librarian/leverage crossovers so I thought I'd add my 2 cents (and 2k+ words). Please Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my imagination

* * *

The mood around the table in the annex's main room was an unhopeful one, to say the least. The team of misfit librarians and their guardian had just returned from what was supposed to be a simple artifact retrieval job but they hadn't even made it to the front door before they saw the security. Of course, that didn't discourage everyone.

"Look, I can totally get in the building. The security is good but I am _way_ better!" Jones' statement was met with eye rolls and sighs, this wasn't the first time he'd made the argument.

"Jones, I am not sending you in there alone and you can't get us all in. We need to come up with a new plan, one that actually works." This wasn't the first time Colonel Baird had made _this_ argument.

"I take it you didn't retrieve the Ring of Gyges? I did warn you this one would be difficult. It's always much easier for a librarian to find an object when it's still protected by ancient and sometimes magical security, rather than modern." Jenkins, ever helpful, voiced his I-told-you-so s.

"What if we didn't sneak in, I mean we could just walk in and then distract someone while Ezekiel goes off to steal the ring? Like we had planned to do when we went up against the Minotaur."

"Ya, cause that worked out so well last time, Cassandra." Baird wasn't trying to be short with her L.I.T's but it had been a long day and they weren't any closer to getting the ring.

"What?" Baird suddenly asked, looking at the resident cowboy. "You've been awfully quiet there, Stone, got something to share?" She wasn't sure why, but something about his face a moment ago, it was like he was debating with himself. And while he wasn't the most vocal of the group, he had been uncharacteristically quiet since she had turned down Jones' plan the first time.

Stone sighed and looked at his team, his friends(even if he wouldn't admit it out loud), and realized that if they were going to beat the serpent brotherhood to the magic ring, he was gonna have to let them further into his life than he had so far.

"I know someone who can help us get in. Lives here in Portland and he'll help, if I ask." He really didn't want to ask though.

"You made friends here? But you spend all your free time here."

"Mate, how do _you _know someone who can break into that building but I don't"

"Oh joy, more company."

"Stone, who _exactly_ is this friend of yours? We can't tell just anyone about magic. Are you sure we can trust him?" effectively cutting everyone off, Baird voiced her biggest concerns and kept her curiosity at bay. For now.

"Known him forever. An I trust 'im more an' anyone else." Stone looked around at his team and realized he didn't have much choice now, probably should have just kept his mouth shut.

"Come on, like I said, he lives in Portland, this is somethin' I need to do in person." He started walking to the front door, where he'd left his truck, knowing they would follow.

"Why don't we just take the backdoor, quicker, cheaper, and less crowded?"

"Trust me Jones, this ain't a guy ya wanna sneak up on." Stone said with a small grin.

* * *

"Nate, I told you man, we ain't doin' a job today. I got _shot_. _Twice!_ Hardison and Parker could have been exposed to that virus. We ain't doin' any jobs for another 3 days. I don't care how bored you are."

Eliot was getting annoyed. Nate really needed to learn to take the limitations of his team into account. Which is why Eliot was putting up such a fight about this break. His shoulder and leg were mostly fine, sore if he moved to fast or not enough, but he'd fought through worse. Parker and Hardison were fine too. Eliot really just wanted to take a break, relax for a few more days, and make Nate start to accept that the team wasn't without limitations. Actually, Eliot would have enjoyed a job right about now, he was getting bored himself and was almost willing to let Nate win this one. Almost. Mama always had said he was too stubborn for his own good.

"Eliot, this is important. These people, they need our help. Mark Gillman, he is stealing thousands from honest people who have been working hard for every penny this guy has taken. Look, I know limitations of my team, I know what we can and can't do, but we can do this."

Eliot studied the man in front of him, he was good, he'd slipped pathos, logos, and ethos all into four little sentences.

'_Mama was right,' _Eliot thought as he stood and walked towards the door, '_I am too stubborn for my own good.'_

* * *

Eliot, on his way to the Brew Pub's kitchen, only made it to the dining room. He stood shocked for a moment and wasn't quite sure what about the table in the corner was more surprising. It could be that his brother was there, whom he hadn't seen in nearly six years and was supposed to be in New Orleans. It could also be that the blonde woman sitting across from his brother was a NATO counter-terrorism agent that he recognized from a mission in a classified part of the Middle East. It could also be that the man, kid really, sitting next to his brother was a "world-class" thief who had made himself a pain in Eliot's ass a number of years ago. He didn't bother figuring it out and made his way over to the table, he wanted answers. Now.

Eliot walked up behind his brother and the thief, ignoring the suspicious glance of the agent and the red head (the only person he didn't know at this table. At least he hoped, because so far the only way he could have known her is if he slept with her and that would just be awkward.) and stopped just behind the two men at the table and pulled both men into headlocks.

"You boys ought to go buy a lotter ticket." He growled out, noticing the blonde's hand going for her gun then stopping when she saw the resemblance between him and the man across from her.

"Damn Eliot, let go." Stone said pulling out of his brother's hold. "Why exactly is it our lucky day?" he questioned, understanding the meaning behind the lottery ticket comment.

"Cause I ain't knocked you both senseless yet. You're supposed to be in New Orleans, not runnin' around with a thief and NATO and" he paused at the redhead, "sorry, ma'am what is it you do?" he asked politely.

Cassandra, to her credit, was rather calm in her answer. "I do math."

"Right. Of course." Eliot finally moved to the end of the table and, grabbing a chair from a nearby table, sat down.

"What are you doing here Jakey?" he asked, much nicer this time.

"Yeah, Jakey, what are you doing here." One day, Ezekiel Jones was going to get hit very hard. Eliot hoped he was the one doing the hitting.

"The only reason I ain't kicked your ass yet is cause it looks like you're friends with my brother and he gets all pissed when I beat up his friends. Keep your mouth shut, Jones." Eliot's growl was accompanied by an impressive glare.

"You ain't got much right in judging my friends for being thieves, Eliot." Jake knew full well what his brother did, knew everything he had done, if not in detail.

Eliot rolled his eyes. "If you wanna hang out with thieves fine, at least hang out with decent one." He knew Jones was a better thief now than he was all those years ago in North Korea, but he was still mad.

"Excuse me, I am an excellent thief, maybe you should be a better at _your_ job."

"Ain't nobody better than me at my job, son."

Jake took a breath and decided he'd better change the subject.

"How'd you know Baird was NATO?"

"Very distinctive boots." Eliot smiled. "And I worked with her a few years ago. It's nice to see you again Colonel." He said, turning his smile to the blonde.

She studied him, then Jake. "I knew you looked familiar." She finally said to Stone, shaking her head. "Nice to see you too, Spencer."

"You still haven't told me what yer doin here, Jakey." Eliot smiled, knowing his brother hadn't liked being called Jakey since middle school. Then he frowned and studied the people at the table. Jones was a genius, annoying and impulsive, but a genius. So was his brother. And then there was mathgirl. Plus one highly trained woman. He'd heard a variation of that equation before.

* * *

"We need your help. There is a, well, an item, we need to get that doesn't exactly belong to us." Jake stopped, waiting for his brother to react. Eliot had always known Jake was genius, you couldn't hide much from a twin. He had also always tried to convince him to get out of their hometown and do something with his brain. This probably wasn't what he'd had in mind.

"Last I heard you were down in New Orleans, what are you doin' here askin' me for help to steal something." Eliot asked as he stood and removed one of Hardison's bugs from the light above the table.

"I wasn't in New Orleans. I've been here in Oregon for the last few months. We're helping people, El, kinda like you and your team but not exactly." Jacob wasn't quite sure how to convince his down to earth, see-it-to-believe-it brother that magic was real.

He was not expecting his brother's next question. Nobody at the table was.

"What happened to Flynn?"

Four sets of eyes stared at him in shock and Eliot could only chuckle. He might not be the genius his brother was but that didn't mean he was stupid.

"How do you know Flynn?"

"What are you talking about, mate?"

"Did you get an envelope too?"

"How the hell do you know Flynn?"

Eliot really did enjoy catching people off guard.

"Met him a few times, helped him retrieve a few "magical" artifacts. He clued me in after the flying carpet incident. Didn't put much stock into the whole magic thing til the serpent brotherhood tried to recruit me. They still got that Lamia chick?"

More shocked silence.

And some more.

* * *

Eve sat and stared at the man before her. She had met Spencer before but this put a whole new light on things. She wasn't sure how many more surprises she could take today. Stone had a twin. Said twin was a thief and one of the most dangerous men she had ever met. He also knew about magic. And knew Flynn. And Jones. And Lamia. How did he know everyone?!

Jones was trying very hard to stay quiet. The last time he had seen Eliot Spencer he had done what he did best. He stole and he bailed. Hadn't turned out too well for Spencer though. In fact, Jones was pretty sure that Spencer had been in a North Korean prison for three months because that job.

Cassandra was processing the fact that Jake has had a twin brother this whole time and never mentioned him. And that said twin seemed to know about magic before his brother. She was also trying to avoid having a brain grape moment, not the impression she wanted to leave with the grumpy version of her friend.

Luckily for the stunned team, Jacob Stone wasn't the only twin with a team.

Members of Team Library were brought out their thoughts by the arrival of another two fifths of Team Thief.

"I told you there were two Eliots out here." Parker said, not too quietly, to her boyfriend and literal partner in crime as they too joined the group in the corner.

Parker made it over first and promptly studied the twins before poking both of them. Had to be sure one wasn't a fake.

"Parker, knock it off." Eliot growled.

Jake always had had better manners. "Hello ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you. Elly has told me a lot about ya'll. And you must be Hardison." He said shaking the other man's hand and grinning at Eliot's scowl. They both had nicknames and he kind of hoped his brother would start with childhood stories. He would win that battle.

"It is a pleasure to meet you too man. You know, _Elly_, here never mentioned that he had a twin brother." Hardison was gonna have fun with this.

"Oh, they're twins!" Parker exclaimed, as if that wasn't the most obvious option.

Eliot just shook his head and growled at Hardison.

"Hey, man, does this mean you call home to talk about us? You like us man. Ha Ha, I knew you loved us. That is so sweet, Elly, callin home to talk about his best buddies." One day Hardison would learn to keep his mouth shut. Probably not today.

Eliot sighed and that was the last sound before a very awkward silence descended upon the table.

A silence broken when Ezekiel spit his drink out all over the table, just missing Cassandra.

"Dude, that is nasty!" he exclaimed.

Eliot laughed. "Got the thief juice, huh?"

"So, is this why you told Nate we weren't doing a job, you wanted to have lunch with your brother? You could have just told him that. Now he's gonna make us wait longer cause he thinks its cause you got shot." Eliot suddenly wished he were somewhere else.

"You got shot." Jake's voice was quiet and sounded a bit _too_ much like Eliot's.

"Relax, Jakey, I'm fine. And no Parker, I didn't know Jake was coming in today. Looks like we got a job though. Just us, we ain't involving Nate or Soph."

"You're going to help us?" Baird questioned, confused at his quick agreement. "You don't even know anything about what we are stealing. Or from whom."

"Ooh, we get to steal something? Can I use my new harness?"

"Jakey asks for help, I ain't sayin' no. and only if we need to Parker."

"Hey, what'd she mean, you got shot?" Eliot wasn't the only stubborn cowboy at the table.

"Chill, I'm fine, it was like 2 weeks ago. There was this thing is D.C. and some guy got lucky."

"Two weeks isn't enough time to heal for a bullet wound, you dumb ass." Sometimes Jake wondered how his brother survived this long.

"Actually its two bullet wounds. He got shot twice."

"Thanks Parker." Eliot growled under his breath.

"For what?"

"Eliot." Hardison could totally see the family resemblance.

"Just drop it Jakey, tell me bout this job would ya?"

"We need to get the Ring of Gyges. A guy named David Thomas has it his private and very well guarded collection in New York." Baird answered before Stone could argue with his brother, she had worked with Spencer before and if he said he was fine, he was.

"New York, alright, so seven tickets to New York, comin up." Hardison said, working with the guardian to avoid an argument.

"We don't need any tickets. Ya'll are gonna love this. We just gotta get back to the annex." Jake said with a grin, excited to show off the annex to his twin.

Eliot studied them for a minute and nodded.

"We can leave in an hour. Parker, Hardison, grab your gear, we ain't doin a con, we're just gonna steal it. Don't make it obvious that your packing stuff up though, don't want Nate or Sophie catching on."

* * *

"Why don't you want your other teammates to know what you're doin?" Jake finally asked as Parker and Hardison left.

"Nate has been pushin the team too hard. We can do what he's askin but its only a matter of time before someone slips up. He needs to slow down. I've been fightin' him on takin' a job for a week now, just got done telling him we need to wait three more days." Eliot explained as he got up and put the chair back.

"I'm gonna go get ya'll something to eat. By the time you're done eatin, we should be ready."

"Why three days?" Cassandra asked, catching the specific number.

Eliot chuckled, "Cause I've been itchin' to do a job for days. I'll bring your food out soon."

* * *

"Dude, I can't believe your brother is Eliot Spencer!" Jones whisper-shouted as soon as Eliot was out of ear shot.

"I can't believe both ya'll met him and didn't realize it when we met."

"It was nice of him to agree to help us. He didn't even ask what was going on until after he agreed." Cassandra said, changing the subject slightly.

Jake smiled. He knew his brother would help. That's what they did. A brother calls, a brother answers.

* * *

Please review! I might add more to this story or just add other drabbles in the same 'verse if people like it.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I am so so so sorry about the long break. I got super busy with school and finals. Next update won't take as long (I hope). I know where I'm going with the story, just gotta get it there. I'm also trying to write better. More details, less dialogue? There will be two more chapters, I promise the heist takes place in chapter 3

Thank you for all of the reviews! They mean a lot to me and are the main reason I'm continuing this.  
floralisette: sorry I didn't make that clearer. At the end of the first chapter, I kind of had Jake asking his team the same question. They didn't recognize Jake because 1) it had been a long time for both Baird and Jones. 2) while Jake and Eliot are twins, they are quite distinguishable, not just the hair but the way the act, they have totally different personalities/mannerisms (except twirling things). And 3) they had no reason to think that he was Eliot. They met Eliot and Jake at very different points in their lives. Jones was just starting to steal and Baird was NATO when the met Eliot. They met Jake as they were thrust into a world of magic. As of now, I'm planning on mentioning that in the final chapter.

Cindy: Thank you for reviewing and keeping me at it. I'm sorry for the wait, I actually tried to use the story as a procrastination method but finals and guilt of not studying won out. I'm glad you enjoyed the story and wanted more.

Thank you so much to everyone else who reviewed and enjoyed it. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and the ones that come after (I promise to not leave the story hanging).

Disclaimer: I don't own leverage, librarians, any characters or any of the stuff I don't own. Also Hammond and Sparks are buildings at my school so they are probably named after people. Don't own them either.

On with the story!

* * *

"Well, it's about damn time." Eliot laughed as he looked around the annex, knowing his brother probably considered this place heaven or at least a haven.

Books filled the shelves and there were even more on the upper level, not to mention the volumes scattered over the large table in the center of the room and the messy desk to the side. It was surprising that Jake ever left the place.

"What do you mean? It didn't take us that long to get here." Cassandra asked, not understanding the long haired version of her sort of friend.

"Always knew Jakey would end up workin' somewhere surrounded by books, hell, I've been trying to get him out of our hometown since we were 16. Good for you Jakey." His final remark was sent towards his brother and meant as sincerely as possible.

Parker and Hardison, meanwhile were looking around in awe. They weren't quite sure what was so amazing about the room they were in but they could feel something that made them know that the room was special. Hardison thought it felt almost like the Tardis would feel, almost bigger on the inside.

They hadn't been filled in about the magic yet and Eliot was quickly realizing that they were going to have to have that conversation sooner rather than later.

"No. No, I do not want all of these people traipsing about in _my_ annex. Oh god there's _two_ of you?" Jenkins groused as he walked into the room, having heard the teams coming in.

"Jenkins, you knew we were bringing people back for this job."

"But why is there a hippie version of Stone?"

"Trust me, he ain't a hippie." Stone laughed, enjoying the mental image of his brother in a tie dye shirt and 90's fringe.

"Let's just focus on the job, okay?" Baird asked, trying to keep the teams focused, somehow knowing that this was going to be next to impossible. Especially since someone was already missing.

"Where's the blonde one, Parker, where'd she go?" the colonel questioned. This was just what she needed, a missing civilian in the annex.

"You set our coms to different frequencies, right?" Eliot asked the hacker.

"Yea, man. Brought some extras for the others too." He replied, digging out his tech and putting it all on the big table in the center of the room.

"Alright, Parker, we're gonna start, at least pay attention." Eliot ordered, taking up the position of team leader for now.

"You're not worried at all about where she went? We don't have everything the main library has but we've got a few dangerous things." Baird was worried, the girl could stumble on something dangerous. Like the apple. Shit.

"Parker, don't touch anything. I mean it." Eliot growled into his com before turning his attention to his bother.

"What are we stealing and where are we stealing it from?"

"Ring of Gyges, from the Hammond building in New York. They got some damn good security though man."

"The Hammond building!" Parker yelled, appearing out of nowhere, "Awesome! I haven't broke into there in ages."

"Alright, Hardison, pull up everything you can on the building, I want to see security footage. Parker, how many ways in do you have?"

"Five, six if they didn't fix the hole in the security that I got through last time."

"No way you've got six ways in! That place is like a fortress!" Jones exclaimed, having only been able to find maybe two way in himself.

"Jones, shut up. Parker, how many of those can you get me, you, and either Jakey or Eve in?"

"Three. Who's Eve?" Eliot rolled his eyes and jerked a thumb at Baird.

"Hardison, you got security footage yet?"

"Ya, your brother is right though, security is tight."

Eliot studied the footage and recognized the security pattern.

"This guy hired Sparks to fix their security. Shouldn't be too hard to get around it but that means that you're going to have to come up with new ways in, Parker. Sparks uses a basic model and adjusts it to fit the building. Its good security unless you've seen it before."

"Ok, so you can get in and out. One of us needs to go with you." No way was Baird letting them go in alone, not that she didn't trust them (she didn't).

"Ya, you or Jakey. I won't work with Jones and I don't know you." Eliot replied, directing the last bit of his statement to the redhead.

Eve nodded, she could work with that.

"You don't trust people either." Cassandra said finally, looking at the brothers standing next to each other.

Eliot glanced at his brother, wondering what the redhead had done to lose his trust. Not that that was a hard thing to do. He'd have to talk to him though, he needed to know any issues going on before they started a job.

"Alright, before we get started, we should probably fill in my teammates here in on the whole magic thing. I'm gonna –"

"Go talk to my brother while ya'll fill them in." Jake finished for his brother. They had too much to talk about to put it off any longer.

Eliot looked at his twin and nodded. "Ya, I'm gonna go talk to Jakey. Hardison, Parker, listen to them and don't even _think_ about trying to steal anything that might be magical."

"Wait wait wait! Man hold up a sec. What do you mean "magic"?" Eliot didn't bother replying.

* * *

"Let me see where you got shot."

"No wounds, already healed. It's like magic." Jake just stared at him, not willing to take his brother's crap this time. Well not that he really took it any time.

"Dude, I ain't kiddin around here." Eliot rolled his eyes but pulled his shirt to the side to show his brother the healing bullet wound in his shoulder.

"I ain't showin you the other one. It's healing up the same. First things first I guess, how'd you get this gig?"

"Serpent brotherhood tried to kill me. Why don't you trust Jones?" Jake wasn't sure why this was his first question but he wanted to know.

"Remember when I told you I got captured in North Korea because some idiot set off a fire alarm and you assumed it was me?" That was a fair assumption, in Jake's opinion. Not like Eliot worked with people often. And he could be an idiot sometimes.

"Seriously? Wait. That was when Aimee left. And that was years ago. How old was he? And how haven't you killed him yet?"

"I got…closure. With Aimee. And I thought he was older, okay? Why don't you trust Cassandra?" He threw back, not wanting to get into the Aimee issue at all or admitting that he hadn't bothered checking Jones's fake id because they'd met in a bar. There was a saying about making assumptions that he didn't feel like hearing.

"What do you mean closure? Did you _sleep_ with Aimee?" He really didn't want to get into the Cassandra issue with his brother right now either.

"No! …Maybe. Doesn't matter. What's up with you and Cassandra? Did _you_ sleep with _her_?"

"No! It's nothing like that, man. It's- it's complicated." Eliot stared at his brother and waited for him to continue. Give him long enough and he'll spill everything. Always worked.

"Fine. I'll tell ya. Just, don't say anything to her, alright?" always would.

10 minutes later

"You're an idiot."

"This coming from you? You still want to hit Jones? And when was the last time someone double crossed you?"

"Four years ago in LA. Sophie tried to con us. I told ya about it. I still trust her. I took time but I trust her now. That's your problem man, you don't give people second chances. You really think this chick is going to double cross you again?" Eliot rolled his eyes but knew his brother was just as stubborn as he was and if he didn't trust the girl, it didn't matter what he said.

"Alright, what does this ring do exactly? Parker ain't going to start flying or something if she touches is, right?"

This was actually Eliot's biggest worry about telling his team about magic. If they knew about it, they'd want to know more about it and use it. Parker and magic was just trouble waiting to happen.

"No, but it does grant the wearer the power to become invisible. According to legend King Gyges of Lydia found it in a tomb when he was a shepherd and then used it to seduce the queen and kill the king. Then he became king and married the queen."

"Right, turns the user invisible, we probably shouldn't tell Parker and Hardison that just yet. Not if you want it back anyway."

* * *

"See Alec, I told you magic was real. How else would Santa get all around the world so fast?" Eliot really should have expected Parker's reaction but nope, she still surprised him.

"Don't tell her Santa isn't real. We haven't had the heart to break it to her." He muttered to his brother as they joined the others in the main room.

"Dude, Santa _is_ real. I met him this year."

"You met Santa!" Apparently Jake wasn't that good at whispering, he never really had been though.

"Ya, it was pretty cool." He turned to his brother and grinned. "I got into a bar fight on Christmas Eve with Santa Claus. How freakin' awesome is that man!"

"Now you're just screwin' with me."  
"Sadly, he's not. Santa was switching between incarnations and apparently one of them is a god of war. They tore up a bar in Canada."

"Dude, it was awesome!"

"Hey, wait. Happy Eliot, were any of Santa's _incarnations_ ever a thief?"

"Parker, for that last time, that was not Santa Claus's church."  
Jake looked at his brother. "Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not. Parker how are those plans coming? We should have three in and out, not counting the front door."

"Why not the front door." Cassandra asked, finally speaking up after watching the others interact. She was nervous as to what Jake might have said about her but knew he must've said something, Eliot had looked right at her when they walked back in.

"Front door means trouble. We're going to do this so they don't even realize we were there til we're long gone."

"They just finished explaining magic, which, by the way, how did you not tell us about that? I'll need some time to figure out how to get in. We should go soon though, I want to do some recon before the break in."

"We can go now, if you want." Baird was ready to get this job done with.

"And how exactly are we getting there? Seein' how ya'll didn't want me to buy the tickets, we still ain't got a way to New York."

"I told you man, all we had to do is come here to the annex. We'll take the back door."

* * *

"Hardison come on already. It perfectly safe. Look, I'm in New York. Now I'm in Portland. Now I'm in New York." Parker laughed as she jumped back and forth through the door, enjoying the way in made her stomach lurch, almost like jumping off a building.

Eliot just stood there and glared, he'd gotten annoyed at Hardison's refusal to use the magic door pretty quick.

"Fine man, get a plane and meet us there. Give me that laptop though so I can look over security until you get there."

Hardison eyed Eliot suspiciously but walked over to give him the laptop. He wasn't gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.

That said, he really shouldn't have been so surprised when Eliot grabbed the laptop and shoved him through door. Probably should have tried a little harder not to scream too.

Eliot looked around the room to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything and followed through the doorway.

He didn't enjoy the trip quite as much as his brother and Parker did but he did find it interesting. They were definitely in New York now. The smells coming from the dumpsters and trash littering the alley told him city and New York traffic had a very distinctive sound.

"Dude there is something wrong with you, just pushin a brother through a magic door like that. Come on man. Why ya'll gotta push me off stuff and through stuff. Why can't you just leave me where I am? Huh?"

"Damn it Hardison. Shut up."

"Nice to see your people skills have improved." Jones commented.

"No way, he was way grouchier when I met him." Baird added, enjoying messing with the man currently leading the way to the hotel.

"Happy Eliot, was Grumpy Eliot always Grumpy?" Parker asked, realizing they could learn a lot about their teammate through his brother. Cassandra realized this too and decided she would try to talk to Eliot later. When he was less grumpy.

To his credit, Jake only paused for a moment at the name before answering.

"Nah, not really. I mean, he's always had a short fuse, but it used to be way longer. Army didn't help, neither did losing Aimee. And then –"

"You do know I can still hear you, right?" Eliot growled back to the group following him.

Jake was the only one who bothered to look repentant.

* * *

"The world's greatest thief tries to sneak up on me on a daily basis, I know you're there Cassandra." Eliot said without looking up from his book.

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to sneak up on you. I just didn't want to interrupt you while you were reading." She replied. She had been standing in the doorway for a good two minutes before he'd said anything and she had thought he really didn't realize she was there.

Everyone else had scattered for now. Parker and Hardison had gone to do recon while Jones and Jake had gone to get supplies as the two thieves called them in. She wasn't quite sure where Colonel Baird went.

Eliot put his book down with a sigh, he'd wanted a chance to talk to the redhead in private, looks like he'd have to do it during the best part of his book.

"Why don't you sit down? I wanted to talk to you anyway."  
"R-Really? Why?" Eliot raised an eyebrow.

"Jake told you about the first time we met? Didn't he?" she answered her own question as she sat on the sofa next to the chair Eliot was in.

"Yea, didn't want to but for a guy who keeps so many secrets, he kinda sucks at it."

"He never mentioned that he had a twin. I mean, we knew he had siblings, nieces and nephews, because he was wrapping their presents for Christmas, but he never mentioned you or really any of his family. Well other than when he says family ain't ever easy. But he said nobody back home knew about how smart he was but you know and-"She stopped suddenly, realizing she was rambling when Eliot raised an eyebrow at her.

"Sorry, I was rambling. I do that sometimes. You said you wanted to talk to me too?" she said after a moment, hoping to stop the brain grape moment she could feel coming.

"Yeah. Jakey wasn't lying exactly, I'm the only one who knows about his big brain. Can't keep much from yer twin."

"Right, you guys must be close, being twins.  
Twins. Two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.  
Two. Two is the first and only even prime number.  
Prime number is a number greater than 1 that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself.  
Goldbach's conjecture state that every even integer greater than 2 can be expressed as the sum of two primes.  
All even integers greater than 4 are Goldbach num-"

"Hey, hey. Cassandra. Calm down. Calm down. Breathe, close your eyes and just breathe" To say Eliot was freaking out was probably an understatement, not that he showed it. He was good under pressure after all.

"That's it, just- just breathe." He held onto her hands, hands that hand been sorting through something only she could see, held them between his and tried to calm her.

"Every integer greater than 5 can be written as the sum of three primes."

"Alright darling, you're fine, just slow down a bit. Breathe."

Eliot sighed in relief as the petite redhead beside him calmed down and finally stopped rattling off math.

"Sorry, brain grape. I wish Jones had never called it that, now I do. Its just-it's nothing." Cassandra muttered quietly, silently wishing she would melt into the couch.

"What's a brain grape?"

"I have synesthesia and a photographic memory." She continued at his confused look. "Um, all my sense are linked to my memory but they are kind of cross wired, so when I remember stuff, I smell things. Usually breakfast. I also have a brain tumor, it's about the size of a grape. Brain grape. Jones came up with the name and it stuck even though I don't really like it."

Cassandra stopped talking and began to fidget under the quiet man's gaze.

'_How can he be so quiet and Jake so not quiet.'_ She thought to herself.

"We figure one of us compensating for the other, not sure which way it goes though." Eliot said with a small smile and it took Cassandra a moment to realize she had voiced her thoughts.

"Is it terminal?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. You said Jake had told you I betrayed them the first time we worked together, to save my life. This is why. The serpent brotherhood said they would cure me."

"Piece of advice, never trust a group that has a serpent for a mascot. Learned that the hard way. I'm sorry about the tumor." He meant it, no one deserved cancer.

"Thanks. If it makes you feel better, I'm not going to betray them again. I care about them. They're my friends."

Eliot nodded, he knew she wouldn't double-cross them again. For the same reason he wouldn't abandon his team.

"Jakey will come around. Eventually. Probably." He paused for a moment. "He's stubborn but not stupid." He added with a smirk.

Cassandra smiled at the cowboy beside her, not quite as intimidated by him as she was before.

* * *

Eliot studied the blueprints on the tv screen and considered Parker's advice on how to get in. She had done him one better and come up with four instead of three ways in and out and he was again impressed with her skills.

They had entry and exit points, guard rotations, and Hardison was manning the electronics. Really he only had one decision left.

Baird or Jakey? Which not-a-thief member of his brother's team would join them on the heist? He had been leaning towards Jakey, just because he trusted him more, but now he was leaning towards Baird. Mostly because Jakey had been giving him funny looks since the teams had come back from recon and shopping and found Eliot and Cassandra making snacks in the kitchenette.

His brother was jealous. Eliot supposed he shouldn't find it amusing and he tried not to. Really, he tried. Very hard.

He knew his brother well, knew he didn't have many people who knew how smart he was and that he wouldn't want to share those few people. Even if Jake didn't realize it, he cared about these people he was working with. He trusted them more than he realized, probably had even started to trust Cassandra again. Maybe it was time to make him realize how much he actually cared about this team of his.

"Alright, Baird, you're gonna come in with me and Parker. Hardison, Jones, Cassie (yes, he was going to call her Cassie, just to screw with his brother.) and Jakey are going to monitor things off site. Hardison, you and Jones, are going to be across the street, its an empty office, get in there and set up what you need. Jake, Cassie, you two are going to take a lovely stroll around the building, I want updates on anything suspicious. Jones, you listen to Hardison. He says jump,you jump. He says run you run. If says don't open a door, don't open the damn door. Got it?" he glared at the young thief.

"One time, mate. You ever gonna let it go?"

"Probably not. I hold grudges way better than my brother. Hardison, how long will you need to set up?" Jake didn't bother rolling his eyes. So what if he held grudges, better safe than sorry. Besides, seemed like Cassandra was getting along fine with at least one of the Stone brothers. Cassie? Since when did she go by Cassie?

"With this equipment, not long, fifteen minutes tops." Eliot nodded, expecting the time frame.

"Alright, once you guys are set up, we'll wait another fifteen minutes and then start."

"Say it." Parker demanded, staring hard at Eliot and not noticing the strange looks the others were giving her.

"Say what Parker?" Eliot asked, slightly exasperated. Hardison grinned, realizing what she meant a beat before Parker answered.

"Say let's go steal a something. You gotta say it. You're the mastermind on this job. Say it."

"I ain't sayin' it Parker." He growled out.

"Aw, come on man, you gotta say it." Eliot growled at Hardison too.

"Come on Eliot, you gotta say it."

Eliot glared at both of them, and at his brother for snickering.

"Let's go steal a ring." He ground out finally before storming out of the room.

"He even left! He's a pretty good mastermind, don't you think Hardison?"

Hardison just laughed.

Jake smiled, his brother was in good hands, even if they were kind of crazy.

Baird, Cassandra, and Jones just shared a look, wondering if it was wise to leave the fate of the ring in the hands of thieves so clearly not stable. They only laughed at Eliot a little bit.

"Let's go already!" Eliot yelled back, wishing he'd taken those rest days he'd told Nate he needed.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed. Please review. They make my day, they really do. Advice is welcome, I really want to do the characters justice.

I was going to end it with Cassandra and Eliot's conversation but I wanted to have next chapter be just the break in. :)


	3. Chapter 3

I'm soo soo soooooo sorry! I really meant to have this up forever ago but this summer is busier than I thought it would be! I know its not long but I had only intended for this chapter to be the break in. I'm sorry and I love you all!

The last chapter will probably be a while but i'll try to make it quick. It's just a short little epilogue.

Please review and let me know what you think!

* * *

"Everyone set?" Eliot questioned as he got into positon with Parker and Baird.

"All good here man, this is gonna be easier than stealing a Michelangelo."

"We're good out here. What Michelangelo did you steal?"

"Alright then, let's go. Parker, you accounted for all of our weights?" Eliot trusted Parker, that didn't mean he wasn't going to ask though; the ground was a long way down and the zip line was the only thing keeping him from becoming overly acquainted with it.

"Of course, it's perfectly safe. I made it myself."

"Eliot. What Michelangelo did you steal?"

"Wait, you made this?" Eliot ignored the colonel and his brother.

"Alright, Parker you first, Baird will follow, then me. Hardison, how are we looking on the roof?"

"All clear, you need to go soon though, guards will be up in 10."

Eliot watched Parker strap herself to the zip line and wondered briefly if she had chosen this way in just so she could use her new toy. Probably.

"Woooo hooooooooo" He shook his head and hoped no one looked up from the street below.

"She's crazy, isn't she?"

"Probably, your turn colonel." He definitely wasn't enjoying seeing the colonel uncomfortable. Not at all.

"Right, this thing is safe?" She started strapping herself in, knowing that Parker had made it across fine.

"I trust Parker's rigs more than any other rig out there. Let's go, we ain't got time." That got Baird's attention, it wasn't often Eliot Spencer handed out trust.

She nodded and let him guid her to the edge of the building.

"Don't look down." He shoved her off the side.

Baird was going to hit him as soon the job was over. Maybe she'd kill him. That'd be nice.

Her plans were interrupted by Eliot's arrival on the roof of Hammond Building.

Eliot shared a look with Parker and nodded, telling her to lead the way. They followed the same pattern as the zip line; Parker in front and Eliot watching their backs.

They made their way across the roof and to the elevator maintenance room quickly, pausing only for Hardison to take control of the surveillance camera.

"Is that a stopwatch?" Baird questioned as Parker picked the lock.

"10 seconds, let me try –"

"Parker, you ain't trying again, move it." Eliot growled, remembering again that she was twenty pounds of crazy in a five pound bag.

"Hardison, what floor are we getting out on?"

"Twenty first."

"I didn't ask you Jones."

* * *

Jake rolled his eyes at his brother and shared a look with Cassandra.

"He doesn't like Ezekiel very much, does he?"

"No, but he's got a pretty good reason." He ignored the raised eyebrow and did a visual sweep of the area, trying to find something in the nightlife of New York City that would mean trouble for his brother.

Cassandra could take a hint and didn't press.

"Seriously, Eliot. What Michelangelo did you steal?" What kind of brother stole a Michelangelo and didn't tell his twin?

"Drop it man, I'll tell you later. Now focus."

Cassandra laughed at the twins as she looked around the street.

"What are we looking for? I don't really know what would be a sign of trouble other than flashing lights and sirens." She admitted after walking for a few minutes.

Jake was silent, hoping one of the professional thieves would answer.

"Ya'll just gotta look for any of those serpent brotherhood folks, me and Zeke here are monitoring for any security issues."

"My name isn't Zeke, mate."

Jake smiled both at the thieves and at the realization that his brother wasn't just trying to keep him busy.

* * *

Hardison grabbed his orange soda and switched security feeds, making sure the patrols were where they were supposed to be. This job was shaping up to be rather easy and it was about time they got back to work, he'd been getting bored waiting for Eliot to let Nate line up a job.

"You guys almost to the right floor yet?"

"Almost. Area clear for us?"

"Yea, man, you're clear. What are you looking for?" he asked Jones, who was now searching the all of the monitors.

"Stair wells, I think I just someone…" he trailed off, switching the feeds.

"No cameras in the stairwells. But I can go back to where you saw them go in." Hardison said as he did just that.

"Talk to me, what's going on?" Eliot ordered.

"I think I saw Lamia, she's serpent brotherhood."

"Alright, Jake, Cassie, what do you see out there? Parker, hold on, we aren't going out yet."

"Nothing out here. I didn't see Lamia go in, are you sure Jones?"

"No, hold up a second, I think they've got entrance locked up."

"Jake, you were supposed to tell me if you saw something." Eliot growled.

"I just noticed it. There are five guys out here, trying to blend in. Be careful Eliot."

"Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. Parker, open it up."

* * *

Parker opened the elevator doors and checked up and down the hall before sliding out and holding the door for Colonel Baird and Eliot.

"Alright, Jones, I need you to monitor all the cameras, I want to know who many we've got and where they are. Jake, Cassandra, there is a café across the street from this building. I want you to get a seat outside and keep an eye on the doors. Make sure to stay inconspicuous and out of sight. Hardison, where are we going?" Eliot rattled off as he and Baird exited the elevator and moved down the hall.

"Keep moving, make the next right and its 2, no 3 doors down."

"Jake, update on your end."

"Same out here. They're movin' around but not goin' anywhere."

"Jones, where are friends on the inside."

"I'm still lookin- wait, they just came out. Other end of the floor you're on. Hurry up."

"We're here. Parker, do you're thing."

* * *

"Well, well. If it isn't my second favorite cowboy. What are you doing here Spencer?" Lamia asked as she rounded the corner, holding out an arm in a silent order for her team to wait.

"I work here now, provide security and all that. Now what does Mr. Thomas have that could possibly interest the serpent brotherhood?" Eliot asked, grinning and the woman standing before him.

"That's none of your concern, now step aside and maybe I won't hurt you." Lamia's returning grin was both sexy and dangerous.

"You think you can hurt me darlin'? Now that's just funny."

"Physically? I don't think you even feel physical pain anymore. But emotional? Well, like I said, you're my second favorite cowboy. I imagine I can take your brother quite easily in a fight."

Most people would run when Eliot's demeanor changed to the deathly still and quiet form it took after that statement. The look in his eyes alone has made men turn tail and run.

"You listen real close, " he started, his voice low and menacing, "anything happens to my brother that I trace back to you or your friends and there won't be a serpent brotherhood anymore. Ya hear me?"

Lamia was saved from answering by Colonel Baird coming through the door behind her.

"Wrong door, Spence- what's going on, you're supposed to be fighting these guys."

Eliot took advantage of the distraction and knocked the two goons' heads together, effectively knocking them out.

"Baird, mission is over. Clear out." Eliot said as he got into a fighting stance in response to Lamia's.

"What do you mean? You said-"

"Don't care, clear out or don't. I ain't protectin' your ass anymore though." He said as he circled Lamia, glad that Baird had caught on.

"Where's the rest of your team colonel? Hiding away in the annex? Is the guardian doing the librarian's job now?"

Eliot pretended to let himself be distracted, glanced at Baird, and blocked the hit Lamia threw at his temple.

He caught the wild punch she threw with her other hand and sunk his own fist into her stomach. Eliot shot a look at Baird that clearly said to leave and returned to his fight with Lamia in time to stop the next right hook but not the kick the gut.

He stumbled back and grabbed the wrist of her follow through punch. Eliot pulled Lamia's arm behind her back and wrapped his arm around her throat, holding her in place.

"You bout done, darlin'?" he whispered in her ear.

"Not even close." She grinned and elbowed him in the solar plexus, loosening his grip enough for her to escape his hold.

Eliot looked around and pretended to just realize the Baird had left.

"Looks like my client left, no point in fighting anymore." He said, taking a step back.

"And here I was just starting to have fun." Lamia replied, not trusting Eliot's forfeit.

"Well, we could continue this workout in another place in different manner." The sly grin saying just what manner that would be.

"Are you seriously hitting on the girl who is tryin to kill you!" Jake whisper-yelled in Eliot's ear.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Was Hardison's quick reply.

"Sorry Spencer, you're not my type." Eliot grinned,

"I'll see you around then, darlin'." He responded, tipping an imaginary hat. He turned on his heel and left with a grin as he heard Lamia head into the private collection of David Thomas.

* * *

"Thank you very much." Jenkins said when Parker reluctantly handed over the magic ring. "How did you retrieve it?"

_Flashback_

"_Well, well. If it isn't my second favorite cowboy. What are you doing here Spencer?" Parker and Baird heard as the door behind them closed. _

_Parker eyed the laser grid that covered the floor with a grin, ignoring the conversation she could hear through the earpiece and muffled through the door._

"_Where is it?" she asked the older woman beside her, snapping her fingers to get her attention._

"_Umm, there, on the other side of the room, how are we going –"The colonel's question was interrupted by Parker's gymnastics across the room and through the laser grid._

_Flashback end_

_Flashback_

"_We've got the ring, how do you want us to get out of here, Eliot?" Baird asked, not wanting to give away Eliot's earlier lie._

"_I've got an idea." Parker said immediately._

_Which is how Colonel Baird found herself crawling through a vent and into the room next to the private collection._

_Baird listened as Eliot threatened Lamia and figured he'd since he'd given up that he knew his brother was a librarian it wasn't a big leap to assume he was helping her team._

"_Wrong door, Spence- what's going on, you're supposed to be fighting these guys." She said as she entered the hallway._

_Flashback end_

"We figured something out." Colonel Baird answered with a smile that matched the friendly grins adorning the faces of her L.I.T.s and the thieves.

* * *

Thank you! thank you! thank you!

and i am so sorry this took so long!

please review and let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

I am so so so so SO sorry about the long hiatus. My summer ended up much busier than expected. I also wrote like half of this and then got writers block and ended up rewriting a bunch. I am so sorry.

I also wanted to apologize because I just realized that I never changed the status from complete to in-progress. It was originally an one-shot but I ended up adding more(obviously). I am very sorry to the people who thought this was finished when it wasn't.

I promise to try to stick to one shots. Or to at least not post a story until I finish it.

I'm sorry.

This is the just a sort of after party/tying up loose ends. Let me know what you think!

an: i do not own leverage or librarians or anything at all.

* * *

The Bridgeport Brewpub stopped serving food at 9:30 pm every night. The doors were usually locked and the lights were out by 11 pm. Tonight the doors were locked but the lights weren't out.

To anyone who walked by it might look like a group had rented the dining area, to anyone who had been to the restaurant, it might look like the owners were having a small party. Nobody would guess that the group inside consisted of thieves and geniuses who had just pulled off a heist in one of the most heavily guarded buildings in New York, under the noses of not only top security but also of an evil organization bent on returning magic to the world.

Yeah, nobody was gonna guess all that. But there were two people who could guess some of it.

Nate and Sophie walked into the dining area after hearing the group of 7 come in rather noisily. They took one look at the group, at Eliot talking quietly with a red haired woman, at Parker and a young man with dark hair almost arguing, at Hardison talking to a blonde woman and a man who looked remarkably like Eliot. They saw the familiar excitement in Parker's eyes, the crash in Hardison's less animated gestures, the relief and slightly relaxed expression in Eliot's posture. They shared a look with one another, confirming what they had already observed. The group that had entered the Brewpub had just finished a job.

"Hardison, if you don't quit askin' my brother and Colonel Baird questions 'bout me, I'm gonna-"

"You ain't gonna do anything." Jake said with a laugh. "Come on man, not like I'm gonna tell 'em anything _too _embarrassing."

Eliot glared but he was smiling. "Just remember, I got just as many stories as you do, little brother."

"What's going on in here?" Nate questioned as he and Sophie walked into the dining room, surprised to see so many people.

"Nate! Sophie! Guess what guess wh-mmmm" Parker yelled as she ran over to the two elder members of the team, getting cut short as Eliot placed his hand over her mouth.

"What are you guys still doing here?" Eliot asked, trying to prevent Parker from telling Nate and Sophie about magic.

"We were just finishing a movie. Parker what were you saying?" Sophie replied, giving Eliot a look that clearly said she knew he was hiding something.

However, Parker knew she wasn't supposed to Nate and Sophie about magic, she had more important news to tell them.

"Eliot has a twin!" She shouted, bouncing up and down in her excitement.

"You know, you'd think she'd be over this by now." Jake muttered to Hardison as they made their way over to the other four.

"He's just like Eliot except he can't fight like Eliot or cook like Eliot or steal like Eliot and he smiles more and reads a bunch and knows about history and art and he doesn't growl when you poke him." Nate and Sophie listened closely as Parker described the twin they'd never heard of.

"So, he's almost nothing like Eliot? " Sophie said when Parker finally stopped for a breath.

"But they look alike! " she exclaimed. "Except the hair." She added as an afterthought.

Eliot rolled his eyes and introduced his brother.

"This is my brother, Jake, and his friends, Colonel Eve Baird, Ezekiel Jones, and miss Cassandra Cillian." He said, gesturing to each of them.

"Nice to meet you." Jake said, shaking hands with Nate and Sophie, his team following suit.

* * *

The large group had broken into smaller groups and these groups continued to grow and shrink and change for quite sometime.

"So, you've got a twin brother." Nate started as he passed a beer to Eliot who had been standing off to the side, watching two sides of his life collide in a way he never thought possible.

"Yeah, we keep in touch but I haven't seen him in almost six years."

Nate didn't ask, didn't need to ask. He knew that Eliot wouldn't put his brother in danger by visiting, wouldn't take his enemies to his brother's doorstep. He also knew it probably hurt Eliot more than he'd admit to not see his twin.

"Does he know what we do?" Nate asked, curious as to how much this more expressive version of his friend knew.

"Yeah, I don't keep much from him. We tell each other everything. Eventually."

Nate nodded and watched Jake laugh with Parker and Ezekiel. The man looked like his friend but that's where the similarities ended. Jake was more open, his face showed exactly what he was feeling. He was also a bit more clumsy and a lot more vocal than his twin. Nate was certain that even if they were to dress in matching outfits and wore their hair in the same style, the two brothers would still be easily identifiable.

* * *

"So then we put all the paintings back and they never knew that they'd never left the building." Parker finished explaining how they had stolen the two Davids to a captivated audience composed of Jake and Jones.

"But how'd you know this Sterling guy would go along with it?" Jones jumped in as soon as the story was over.

"So you don't still have the Michelangelo?" Stone interrupted, not sure if he was glad that the real statue was on display or disappointed he wouldn't get to hold it.

"Because Sterling is evil and selfish. And Nate said we had to put it back because we are the good guys now. But we still steal stuff sometimes. Like when I stole the Hope Diamond, but I put that back too. Ooh I stole the Lion of Gilgamesh. He goes on my Christmas tree."

The two librarians in training stared at the thief for a moment, not sure if she was kidding or crazy.

Jacob left the group not long after, leaving the two thieves to compare techniques.

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Cassandra looked up Jacob and realized she hadn't heard him come over.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about how different you and your brother are. It's interesting."

They fell into an almost comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Cassandra, I-" "Jacob-" they both started.

"You first." She said, quietly, curious as to what he had to say.

"I just wanted to, I mean I realized-" he took a deep breath and pulled his thoughts together. "Look, I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you. I know that you ain't going to betray us again and I should have forgiven you a long time ago. Some things, some habits, are hard to let go of. I'm sorry for being rude." He finally got out, looking away towards the end.

Cassandra smiled, grateful to have his forgiveness. "Thank you, Jake. And I won't betray your trust. Friends?" she asked, almost afraid he'd say no.

"Yeah, friends." It was his turn to smile, it was small but sincere, like he was surprised to find it there.

* * *

"Your team ain't half bad."

Eliot looked at his brother standing next to him and smiled a small smile.

"Yeah, little more than a team though, Lord help me. You found yourself some good friends Jakey, I'm proud of you."

"You're doing pretty well yourself." Jake replied, concerned when his brother snorted back a laugh.

"I'm serious. You're doing really well." Jake reiterated a bit more forcefully. "You've got great friends, you help people, your cooking in your own restaurant. You seem to be in a good place."

Eliot knew his brother was right (he usually was) but it was hard to let himself enjoy it.

"You're allowed to be happy. The stuff you've done, your past, it's just that. Your past. This is your present, enjoy it."

"Quit readin' my mind man." Eliot said with a small chuckle.

Jake laughed quietly as well, the joke and old one.

* * *

The large group of librarians and thieves gathered around the table, the conversation and food passing enjoyably.

To anyone who walked by it might look like a group had rented the dining area, to anyone who had been the restaurant, it might look like the owners were having a small party. Nobody passing by could know or understand the stories that were told, the friendships formed, the old grievances that were forgiven.

* * *

THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review and let me know what you think! all feedback is welcome.

Again, i'm sorry i took so long!

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY STORY!


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